Cancer symptoms you should never ignore

By Melanie Ruberti

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May. 29, 2018 - 7:50 AM

CTCA

Dr. Ioana Bonta

By the year 2020, it’s estimated 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women will be diagnosed with cancer within their lifetime, according to Dr. Ioana Bonta, a medical oncologist with the Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Newnan.

Early diagnosis is key in treating the disease, and that means paying attention to your body and possible cancerous symptoms.

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Dr. Bonta listed 10 key symptoms of cancer people often overlook.

Those symptoms include:

Unexplained weight loss

Fever of unknown origin

Night sweats

New or unexplained pain

Persistent heartburn

Mouth or tongue sores that don’t heal

Bloating

Irregular bowel patterns

Unexplained lumps

Trouble swallowing

Another symptom that tends to unexpectedly show up and change over time is a mole that grows and has irregular borders or bleeds, Bonta stated.

“Those are the earliest complaints we hear over and over again from cancer patients and studies show these symptoms are the most common,” she said.

“These symptoms are often misidentified because they are not specific to just cancer, and therefore can be attributable to other health issues. For example, someone who suffers from Irritable Bowel Syndrome and regularly experiences an irregular bowel pattern does not necessarily assume his or her symptoms could be a sign of colorectal cancer …”

While these symptoms can be important in diagnosing and treating cancer in its earliest stages, the Bonta does not want people to immediately panic from what they read on the list.

“For instance with lymphoma, the symptoms will be in conjunction with each other: chills, fever, night sweats and unexplained weight loss. A common symptom of ovarian cancer is bloating and early satiety, but many women may attribute fluid buildup or bloating to normal weight gain,” she said. “We don’t want to induce anxiety. Not every back pain will be cancer. If you take some over-the-counter medication, and it doesn’t resolve in 2-3 weeks or longer, then it’s time to talk with a medical professional.

“Be an advocate for yourself,” Bonta continued. “If your symptoms persist, then something needs to be done about it.”

The medical oncologist believes anxiety of the unknown and a potential cancer diagnosis also prevents people from seeking medical advice.

“I think we, as a community, need to spread the word about cancer screenings and early detection,” Bonta said. “An early detection of cancer will benefit patients. Being aware of cancer screenings will help people be diagnosed at an earlier stage of the disease.

“There’s some sort of stigma attached with a cancer diagnosis. I don’t know why this is,” Bonta continued. “A cancer diagnosis or illness is not something to be ashamed of, it’s something to overcome.”

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